Some dialogue writer wrote “Life is a race.” And then Chetan Bhagat somehow won the successful loser race.
But it is a race against what exactly? Everyday I feel the race to finish is against multiple things. Towards peace? Towards freedoms? Towards victory. What after that? One more race, and then one more after which retirement to end up watching the race. No I am not having any crises yet, just a pit stop from the race.
Yes, I am also in the race. I am not a noble soul to get a biopic yet to manipulate the production of my biopic. If and when I eventually make it. I want Vijay Sethupathi to play me in the biopic.
But while different races happen, I realise I have a brilliant free pass in form of platform ticket. It’s a fun thing, everyone has it but not many notice it at all. You are in different people’ life but can’t do much because you only have a platform ticket ultimately.
Today at a traffic signal when I was in deep thoughts. A pre teen boy said I love you amma to his mother and quickly his face became more red than the signal. I smiled and the aunty had the biggest smile. I don’t know what the child said later but he got a bit shy which was also nice to see. That aunty took a right and went, I went ahead, thinking what happened.
It’s interesting and heart warming sometimes and sometimes concerning. But the peek is just enough to know.
For instance, how someone lovingly addresses their pet. Whenever one feels alone or when they themselves feel they have messed it up.
The slight high pitch voice, the eyeball bulging a bit more ignoring the accumulated sleepiness only to hit for a couple of seconds. The body surrendering to comfort and love.
Or when someone is deeply troubled that they can’t do more for a friend’s milestone that they go to the deep core in them and have a conversation.
These small moments are literally those roads not taken the poem keeps talking about. People do what they have to do not because they have to but they choose to. And it’s the small potatoes they make that shows how much they have grown and how much they appreciate themselves.
I am usually silent when this happens. I just want to capture this warmth. I don’t think I can ever say that as a story. But the platform ticket has given me enough space and respect to just look at these things and realize: I just had a really good moment.
I see a perpetually busy P and Prof AM running around what was my responsibility a leap year ago. I know the pains it takes organising it to a bit. But sometimes seeing what you did in a different way shows how things around has changed. But you can’t do much, the platform ticket validity will expire and I have to wait for the next train to come in.
Friends are doing new things and I have accepted that I might perhaps not be around the way I should be. My nephew will be 13 in two weeks and I am dreading being annoyed by his teenage years. But what a joy in seeing people grow and screw up, brushing themselves up and then get back to it.
KSR Bengaluru 2023
It doesn’t mean platform tickets are meant for a good reason. I know an acquaintance? is probably messing up big time but I also don’t want to warn them because they have already realised it some way. So now do I get in the train, wake them up and jump out.
Nahhhh
I rather not. I would have done that years ago. Now I have to board my train bloody thing so annoying like that Vande Bharat advertisements.
Time holds none and holds everyone. Might as well use the tickets issued to you properly I have realised. Now the hard part of actually using them.
Chooo Chooo till then. Get your tickets and don’t get fined.
For Perpetually busy Pranava, who won’t read this blog mostly but said to me yesterday, “I see that your writing output has reduced. Have you stopped taking drugs.”
Another Writer Guy. 